Chosen
by PleadInsanity
Summary: Anna, a young woman living with a neglective family, runs away to seek adventure. She finds much more than she ever hoped for when she meets a mysterious masked man named Erik and a malicious vampire named Damian.
1. Chapter 1

She sat calmly on the silky green grass as she stared at the white puffy clouds in the soft blue sky. She sang softly to herself. It was her shelter, her escape from the world. How she longed to leave her home and travel to a far away place as the clouds do. She wanted to follow where fate would lead her. There was nothing here for her. She was stuck in a world that contained no friends, a family that didn't pay attention to her, and a betrothal to a pompous, self-centered jerk of a man (if he could be called that) that guaranteed a lifetime of serving as a housewife in this same wretched town of Brighton. She did not want this life. She wanted adventure and excitement.

She continued singing as she watched the sky turn to orange to red to deep purple to midnight blue. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she realized she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She rose quickly to her feet and ran back to the house. She could smell the delicious aroma of lamb chops and potatoes as she passed through the front door. She walked to the dining area and found her father, mother and brother all stuffing their faces, the food on their plates almost completely devoured. She grabbed a plate from the cupboard and searched for the left over food. It wasn't on the counter or on the table.

"Mother, where is the rest of the food?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Her mother lifted her head from her plate.

"Oh, sorry Anna. I guess I didn't make enough," her mother answered through the barrier of potatoes in her mouth. She smiled innocently and continued eating. A wave of rage rose within Anna, coloring her cheeks bright red.

"That's it!" she screamed. "I can't stand it any longer!" She hurled her empty plate across the room and it smashed against the wall. She stormed off to her room and slammed the door. Neither her parents nor her brother ever looked up from their plates.

Her room was only big enough for a tiny bed and a petite vanity dresser. It was the smallest room in the house. Anna collapsed onto her bed, buried her head into her pillow and screamed as loud as she could until her voice gave out. Tears slowly trickled down her cheeks and soaked her pillow.

This wasn't the first time her mother had "accidentally" not made enough food for her. This happened all the time. Her parents rarely acknowledged her existence, except when it came to Luke Thomson, her betrothed. Her parents couldn't wait to get rid of her.

Luke Thomson was a friend of her brother's; therefore, her parents were fond of him. When he was around her parents, he acted the part of a perfect gentleman. But when he was alone with Anna, he was a horrible person. He pushed her around and treated her like the dirt beneath his feet. "Look at this mess! Clean it up, bitch!" he would say to her before he slapped her with such force that she fell to the ground. It took every fiber of her being to restrain herself from striking him back. She knew it would only lead to more bruises. He threated her if he thought she would tell her parents about him. She never did tell her parents. They wouldn't listen anyway.

Anna's hard sobs eventually turned soft as she calmed down. She thought to herself how wonderful it would be to leave this wretched place.

"Why shouldn't I?" she said aloud to herself with sudden realization. "Nothing is holding me back. I should just...leave." Excitement filled Anna as she thought of the glorious idea. She began to make plans on where she would go and how she would get there. She decided to go to Paris. She had heard so many stories about the beauty of the city. She would take a boat across the English Channel. She had some money saved up that she would use. When she reached the shores of France, she would travel by train until she reached Paris. She didn't know what she would do once she arrived, but she didn't care. She just wanted to leave Brighton.

Her planning was interrupted by a heavy knock at the door. It was her mother. Anna thought for a moment that her mother might be bringing her food and an apology. A foolish thought.

"Anna, that lovely Thomson boy is coming by tomorrow to see you. I want you to look and act your best. Wear your prettiest dress and for heaven's sake Anna, do something with your hair! That brown frizzball of yours could scare the devil!" Her mother yanked the door shut and waddled back down the hall.

A new flood of tears came rushing down Anna's cheeks as she thought of seeing that despicable man again. She couldn't bear to spend another day with him. She had to leave tonight.

She packed some of her clothes in a small bag. She had to travel light. _A dress, a pair of breeches, and couple of shirts will do just fine,_ she thought to herself. She dressed in her breeches and a shirt so the bag would be even lighter. She placed her money neatly in a velvet coin bag, which she then attached to her waist. She pulled on her black boots (which she had previously "borrowed" from her brother) and placed the rest of her personal essentials in her bag.

When she had all of her things together, she sat quietly on her bed until she was sure everyone was sound asleep. She creeped open her door and slipped sliently through the hallway to the front of the house. She exited the front door without a sound and disappeared into the darkness.

**AN: This story is mostly _Phantom of the Opera based_, but it has influences from _Van Helsing_. But Anna is not THE Anna Valerious from _Van Helsing_. I just like the name. The only characters in this story that are not my own are Erik and King Valerious. Please review if you want more and I will continue posting chapters to this story! It's already completed, but I don't want to put it all up at once. :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Wow, I didn't expect to get a review so fast! Thanks, citgirl2004! Here's chapter 2. Sorry they are so short. I'll try to post a chapter a day. )**

After spending a few days crossing the English Channel, Anna was finally on the train to Paris. She stared out the window at the rushing landscape. It was near sunset and all the colors of the sky were radiant. She looked around at the people in the passenger car. One man was reading a paper. A mother was knitting something not yet recognizable while trying to keep her little one quiet. Two boys were playing with their jacks. Anna smiled and continued scanning the car.

In the seat across the aisle from her sat a man dressed all in black. He had a black cape on over a black suit and he wore black leather gloves. He wore a black hat with a large brim and a black silk scarf that covered his face from his nose down. _How very odd_, she thought to herself. The man felt her gaze and glanced over at her. She locked eyes with him. They were sharp and intense and seemed to cut right through her. She couldn't decide the color of his eyes because they seemed to be blue and green at the same time. Despite the beauty of them, there was a coldness there so intense, it chilled her to the bone and caused her to look away. Her heart was pounding from what she assumed was embarassment, although she knew it was because of something else. Something she couldn't explain. She directed her eyes to the landscape again and slowly slipped into a deep sleep as she gazed at the beautiful sky.

A little over an hour later, she woke to the sound of women and children screaming from the passenger car behind hers. She stood quickly and rushed to the back of her car to see what was happeneing. Before she even reached the door, the train suddenly jerked and she fell to the ground, bumping her head against one of the chairs. The blow knocked her out for only a couple of minutes.

When she opened her eyes, her head was pounding and she could feel blood trickling down her forehead. She looked up to find a very handsome man staring down at her. He had her in his arms, stroking her hair. His eyes were a deep ocean blue and his hair was a golden brown. He had a nicely chiseled face and strong arms. She didn't know who this man was, but she couldn't take her eyes off of him. She could hear the people screaming and running around her, but she couldn't acknowledge them. She felt this eerie spiritual hold over her. She felt as if her soul was within the soft hands of this handsome stranger. His hand brushed her hair away and began stroking the area between her shoulder and the base of her neck. His eyes went to her forehead and he placed his hand near her wound. Anna winced from the pain. He brought his hand, his fingers now covered in her blood, to his mouth and licked his fingers with gusto. His eyes turned to an almost transparent blue and two sharp teeth, like fangs, appeared where his canines should be. He began lowering his head toward her.

Anna screamed. She started to flail violently, beating her fists against him. He only laughed with delight. Suddenly, he was struck on the back of the head. Glass shattered everywhere as he collapsed on top of her. She rolled him off, shaking from disgust, and looked up to find the man in black she had seen earlier holding a broken bottle in his hand. He dropped the bottle and held out his hand. When he helped her up, he started to lead her through the screaming crowd. She looked around and saw more of those beasts like the one that had held her in his grasp only moments before. They seemed to be feeding on the passengers. Blood trickled down their chins. But it wasn't their blood. It was the blood of the passengers. The blood of their victims. Anna saw the two boys who had been playing earlier laying on one of the seats, dead.

"Oh my God! What's happening?!" The man in black turned to her and put his finger to her lips.

"Shhh!" His voice was low and muffled by the silk scarf that still hid his face. "We must get out of here! If you wish to live, do not let go of my hand." Anna nodded her head and he continued pushing through the crowd.

When they had finally exited the car, Anna saw that the train had stopped in the outskirts of a city. The man stared at the lights of the city with a certain relief in his eyes.

"Paris," he whispered. "Come on," he said taking her hand again. "We must go now." He began to run and she gripped his hand tightly for fear of falling behind.

"Wait!" Anna shouted. "What was that back there?" The man reluctantly came to a halt and turned toward her.

"Vampires," he whispered menacingly. "And they will kill us if we do not leave NOW!" He began to run again and she followed him, her head swimming with confusion and fear.


	3. Chapter 3

When they had almost reached the city, they heard ear piercing shrieking screams that sounded almost like laughter coming from behind them. Anna and the man stopped and turned. The vampires bursted through the roof of the train car. Anna's jaw dropped. They had wings!

Anna and the man in black made one last sprint to reach the safety of the city. The man led them to a dark alley as the vampires flew toward the city.

Anna looked to the sky fearfully, clutching the man's hand tightly. The vampires flew right over the city and continued to the east until they faded into the horizon. Anna released a huge breath that she realized she had been holding. She also realized how tightly she was holding the man's hand. She quickly released his hand, feeling her cheeks turn crimson.

"Sorry," she whispered. She tried to read his eyes, but it was too dark. Just then, a bold of lightning electrified the sky, lighting his face. His silk scarf had fallen. On the right side of his face rested a white mask. It covered that whole half of his face. The man averted his eyes and turned his back to her.

"Come," he said in a low, broken vioce. "We don't want to get caught in the storm." Another bolt of lighting came, this time followed by a low rumble of thunder.

As they made their way throught the city, the man weaved in and out of allyways slyly. He seemed to know where he was going.

As first, they walked in silence. When they had almost reached their destination, Anna decided to break the ice.

"Thank you." The man stopped. "For saving my life." The man turned his head carefully enough so that she only saw the left side of his face. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words never came. He only nodded his head in return. "What is your name?" she asked, trying to get him to speak. There was a long pause, as if he was contemplating his answer.

"Erik," he finally responded, softly.

"I'm Anna." She smiled and they continued walking.

When they had reached the last allyway, Erik bent down and opened a hidden door. It was an old wooden door with a metal ring handle. It looked like a door to a cellar. Behind this door was a set of wooden stairs. Erik began to descend them, and turned to look at Anna to assure her it was ok. Anna stepped slowly foward and followed him down the steps into a dark abyss. Just as she had gotten inside and he shut the door, the rain came. It pounded on the door loudly. Water leaked through and dripped on them.

Anna reached for Erik's hand so as not to trip or run into anything. They descended the stairs slowly until they reached a flat. It felt like stone. Cold hard stone. They continued and came upon some more stairs, this time made of stone. Anna began to wonder how Erik could go along so easily. It was as if he could see in the dark. He avoided every obstacle, knew when to turn, knew when the next staircase would appear.

After about 15 minutes of staircases and tunnels, they finally came to a vast open room. Erik stopped and told her to wait there. He continued further into the room and suddenly there was a light in front of her. He had lit a torch. "How did he know that was there?" she thought to herself. He began to light some candles. They were scattered throughout the room. Everything became more visible. There was an old organ with scattered papers everywhere. Some of the candelabras were on the ground with broken candles. There were mirrors lining the walls, most of them broken. Anna turned to get a full perspective and found that the passageway they had come through had once been hidden behind a mirror. There was a gold frame around the edges of the passageway with broken pieces of a mirror attached to them. She looked to Erik and saw him bent over the ground picking up some of the scattered papers. He replaced them neatly on the organ.

"What is this place?" she asked with genuine bewilderment.

"Home." His answer was quiet and she detected a hint of longing reminiscence.


	4. Chapter 4

Anna winced as Erik cleaned her wound. The alcohol burned like the very fires of hell, and yet it was applied by gentle hands.

Erik had, by that time, removed his silk scarf and hat. He had dark brown, almost black hair. His lips were soft and subtle upon his face; so concentrated were they as he treated her wound. His eyes shone more green in the candlelight and seemed to hide someting secret, something dark behind them. And then there was the mask on the right side of his face. It gleamed in the candlelight and held a sense of mystery that sparked a shameful curiousity within her. It is not my business why he wears a mask, she thought to herself, although she really wanted to find out.

"The good news," he said, breaking the silence, "is that you won't need stitches. It's just a superficial wound." Anna smiled in relief. "The bad news is..." Her smile faded. There was a long pause. Erik seemed hesitant to finish the sentence.

"What? What is it?"

"The bad news is...you have been chosen...by a vampire." Anna stared at him in disbelief. What had she just heard? Chosen?

"Wait...I don't understand. What do you mean I've been 'chosen,' and what is a vampire?" Erik sighed and turned his back to her, replacing the alcohol and cloths to their right place.

"Vampires are the walking dead. They sustain life by feeding of the blood of others and are believed to be immortal. They usually kill anyone they bite, but sometimes they come across someone whom they wish to make one of their own. Mostly it is the male vampires that make the female victims their brides. They look for exceptional beauty and strength in their brides." He stopped for a moment and turned around to face her. "You are certainly very beautiful, Anna--" His cheeks faded to crimson at this statement, as did hers. "And the vampire that held you in his grasp sensed a strength in you that he could not resist. He has tasted your blood, and he will not cease his pursuit of you until he makes you his bride.

Anna's head started to spin with all of this disturbing information. She became so dizzy that she could hardly stand.

"Oh my God," she whispered. She raised her hand to her forehead in an attempt to stop the spinning. It didn't work and she could feel herself falling. Erik rushed over to her and caught her in his arms before she reached the floor. He leaned her on his shoulder, took her over to the organ bench, and helped her sit down. He crouched down so he could look into her eyes. Her brown eyes were wide with fear. Her beautiful brown eyes, he thought to himself, and then quickly discarded the thought. No, I will not allow myself to fall for this again. Her hair fell over her face, hiding her eyes. Erik reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear, cursing himself because he was going against his own wishes.

"Everything will be all right. Come, you need some rest." He took her hand and led her to a little room leading off from the main room. There rested a bed that resembled a black swan. It had red velvet sheets that were hanging off the bed and a black tattered lace curtain that lay strewn on the floor. Erik took her over to the bed and she gladly laid down. She was nearly asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. He pulled the sheets over her slumbering figure and whispered a soft goodnight.

He walked back into the main room and finished straightening it up. He found his old violin resting on the ground next to the organ. He reached down and picked it up. "Hello, old friend," he said has he stroked the strings with his hand and blew off the layer of dust. He picked up the bow and began playing. It was in perfect tune. He continued playing for hours, getting lost in the beautiful sound that echoed through the cavern that was his home.

He could here her voice echoing in his head. Christine's voice. A single tear trickled down his cheek at the memory of her. He stopped playing.

"That was beautiful." He turned around quickly to find Anna standing fifteen feet away. He suddenly realized he had been playing all night.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, no. I wasn't bothered by it. In fact, it comforted me. Please, play more. Do you know Angels Through the Night?" He nodded his head, and began playing. She closed her eyes and began to sing:

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,  
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,  
God, his loving vigil keeping,  
All through the night.

Erik stopped playing and she opened her eyes. "You sing?" he asked.

"Yes. I taught myself how to sing as a child. Music is the only thing that helped me through..." She allowed the sentence to trail off with finishing it. She wasn't quite ready to talk about her past. Especially with someone she barely knew. "It's just always brought me comfort." He smiled, understanding every word that escaped her lips. It was the first smile Anna had seen come across his face. Suddenly feeling warm and safe under his grinning gaze, she smiled in return.

**AN: Thank you for your reviews! I'm so glad you are liking my story! Please keep reading and reviewing! )**


	5. Chapter 5

After an hour of more music, Anna had fallen into a deep pleasant slumber. Erik gathered her in his arms and laid her down in the swan bed. He then traveled through some of the old corridors he used to haunt and made his way to the main floor of the building. There were many people running around doing whatever it was they did best. Erik searched for some food and found a loaf of bread and some cheese in the kitchen area. He also found some apples and grapes and put all of these things in woven sack he found on the kitchen counter. He snuck out without ever being seen. He returned to Anna's sleeping form and put the sack of food on a little table that sat next to the bed. He then went to his own room, collapsed onto his bed, and fell asleep.

When Anna awoke several hours later, she found the sack of food next to the bed and gladly ate. When her cravings were satisfied, she wandered into the main room to look around. She didn't see Erik and assumed he must have gone into another room to sleep. She went over to the organ and picked up some of the sheet music. She began singing them softly to herself and found them to be exceptionally beautiful songs. She had neither seen nor heard such beautiful music composed. She could only imagine how much more beautiful the songs would be with the accompanying instruments.

She put the music back exactly how she had found it and continued exploring the room. She came to the passageway they had come from. She reached up and touched the broken edges of the mirror, wondering how it had become that way. She cut her hand on a sharp edge and drew it back quickly. It started to bleed and she searched for a cloth to wrap it in. When she found the cloths, she wrapped one tightly around her hand, wincing at the stinging pain, and held it until it stopped bleeding. When it had stopped, she removed the cloth and went back to the broken mirror. She needed some fresh air and wondered if it were safe to go outside. She grabbed a lit candlestick and began walking down the passage. She followed the path she had traveled with Erik earlier as far as her memory would take her. When she came to a split, she couldn't remember which path they had come from. She stood still for a moment, trying to remember, when she felt a slight breeze rustle her hair. She turned to the direction of the breeze and decided that that passage must lead to outside.

She finally came to the old wooden cellar door they had come through. She sighed with relief and soaked in the fresh air as it came through the cracks of the door. She went to the door and pushed it open. It was nighttime. The sky was clear and the breeze was cool. Placing the candlestick at the bottom of the steps to the cellar door, she climbed out and into the cover of night. She walked to the end of the alley, staying alert. She peeked around the corner before emerging and walked to the front of the building that connected to the cellar she had come from. Although it was nighttime, there was a full moon and an array of stars in the sky. It was enough light for her to read "Opera Populaire" at the top of the building. "An Opera House!" she thought excitedly to herself. She admired the structure of the building. Beautiful Romanesque columns seemed to guard the front doors. She looked up and found angels and flying horses carved out of stone lining the top of the building. "Beautiful," she said aloud to herself. Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind her.

"It is." She turned to the source of the voice, but saw no one. She squinted into the dark, trying to make out a figure.

"Who's there?" She tried to sound strong, but there was a hint of fear in her voice. A figure appeared from the shadows of the alley across from her. A man that stood at least six feet tall (a good five inches taller than Anna) began to walk toward her. He wore a black suit and a jacket with coat tails in the back. He wore black leather gloves and his golden brown hair was slicked back. As he was walking toward her, he removed his gloves and dropped them on the ground. When the moonlight lit his eyes, she realized who he was. "Oh my god..." She turned from him to run to her alley, but there he was, standing in front of her, blocking her alley. She turned her head to where he had been and then turned back to where he was blocking her way. She had never seen anyone move that fast.

He came closer to her as she tried to back away. He lunged forward and grabbed her, pulling her into the dark alley that hid the cellar door. He threw her against the wall and pressed against her body with his own, her arms pinned above her head. He bent his head and whispered into her ear.

"Hello, my dear. Remember me?" He began kissing her neck, tasting her. Anna strained to escape, but couldn't free herself from his iron grasp. His lips traveled up her neck, across her cheek, and onto her lips. He pressed his lips hard against hers and tears rolled down her cheeks. She tried to scream, but his lips were too tightly pressed. She could only manage little moans from deep within her throat.

When she had lost all of her strength, her tense body became limp and he broke away from her lips. He looked to her right hand, sensing something he craved, and found blood. Her cut had started bleeding again. He drew her hand to his mouth a licked the cut, his eyes turning the same transparent blue she had seen in them before. Only, in darkness of night, his eyes seemed to glow. He bent down and whispered in her ear again.

"For just a brief moment of pain, we could be together forever!" He lifted his head, looked into her fearing brown eyes, and smiled a hideous grin. Anna suddenly felt a strength form deep within her. It powered all of her senses and muscles. She wrenched her hands free from his grasp and pushed him away with a strength she was not aware she could posses. She ran toward the open end of the alleyway and into the street, but it was not enough. He jumped from behind her and they both went to the ground. He turned her on her back and sat firmly on top of her, restraining her arm as before. "You will be mine!" His fangs began to grow and his head began to move toward her neck.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thank you all for your wonderful comments! Please, keep them coming! )**

His fangs barely brushed the trembling skin of her neck before he was thrown off of her. Someone had lifted him up and threw him against the wall. Anna began to feel lightheaded and peered into the darkness to find Erik walking toward her.

"Erik..." she whispered before the dark unconsciousness consumed her.

"Well, it's nice to see you too, Erik." Erik turned toward the man he had just thrown against the wall, who was now pulling himself up off the ground and brushing the dirt off his dark suit.

"Damian."

"Ah, you remember me. It's been some time--"

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Erik's fists tightened and his teeth clenched. Damian moved toward him slowly.

"Just passing through." He gave a chilling laugh that made Erik's skin crawl. He circled around Erik. "I just happened to come across this beautiful angel," he motioned toward Anna lying unconscious on the ground, "and thought I would show her a good time." He laughed his chilling laugh once more. Erik raised his fist and knocked Damian to the ground. "Oh, Erik! You were always good for a laugh!" He rose off the ground and pounced on Erik, pinning him to the wall. He then knocked Erik to the ground with a powerful blow and went swiftly over to Anna's limp body. Before Erik could recover, Damian swept Anna into his arms. Wings formed on Damian's back and his clothes seemed to seep into his skin, which was now turning a bluish grey. He gave one last shrilling laugh and flew away, fading against the dark sky.

"Dammit!" Erik shouted in frustration and anger. He knew where Damian was going. He knew because he had been there. He was going to Transylvania. A place known to be a horrific place where nightmares come to life. Monsters that exist only in dreams live in that dark, damned place. Erik raced to the horse stables that were on the other side of the Opera House. He mounted a solid black horse and rode off into the night.

He traveled many days to reach the cursed land of Transylvania. When he was just outside this little province, he began thinking back to the last time he had been here. It was a few years ago, right after he had left Paris. After he left all he had known in his life. The Opera House was in ruins and Christine was gone. He had nothing to stay for. He began his travels through Europe and ended up in Transylvania. He knew nothing of this place before then. He soon learned what horrors were there. Terrifying creatures haunted this place. Vampires and werewolves were the most numerous of the monsters. There were some creatures that were both vampire and werewolf. There were beasts that stood ten feet tall, but had the faint appearance of human form. They ate whatever they wished such as chickens, dogs, and even small children. Erik remembered the people's reaction to his arrival. They did not trust strangers so they were not friendly. They stripped him of all his weapons, although he carried only a sword and a lasso. They took his horse and put him in the custody of King Valerious of the Gypsies, who placed him in the dungeon.

After a time, Erik gained King Valerious's trust and they became friends. Erik was freed from his imprisonment and became the King's advisor. It was then that Erik met Damian. Damian was captain of the guards. He was a very selfish, conceited man. The King was always so generous to him, but he always wanted more. He felt he could be a better king and so he desired the King's position.

One night, Damian was walking through the dark streets, concocting a plan to take over the throne, when he crossed paths with a vampire. Damian made a deal with the vampire. The deal was that Damian would pay the vampire thirty gold pieces and give all of the vampires their own land to rule over in exchange for immortality. The deal was sealed with the deadly bite. Damian killed King Valerious and took over the throne. He kept Erik, as well as others, as his slaves.

Unfortunately, the vampire he had made the deal with was just as selfish as Damian. He fought with his vampire followers against Damian for the throne. This war waged for quite some time. It was then that Erik escaped and left Transylvania. His beloved friend was dead and there was nothing he could do about the war. After leaving this wretched place, Erik traveled for a couple more years before returning to Paris.

Erik's whole life had been full of painful agony and grief, even more so after Christine had broken his heart. And then he met Anna. He felt a connection with her, though he was reluctant to admit it, even to himself. He did not want to go through the same pain he had gone through with Christine. But Anna seemed different. When he looked into her eyes, he could see a faint glimmer of past pains, and he felt like he was looking into his own eyes. And she seemed reluctant to reveal those pains, just as he was.

Erik came to the threshold of the cursed land. As he guided his horse further into the city, some of the residents became curious and emerged from their houses. He was met with eyes full of recognition and hope, for they remembered him. Erik dismounted his horse as a young boy that looked to be about eleven years old approached him.

"Erik? Is it really you?" Erik nodded his head, and a huge grin spread across the face of the boy. "We have hoped for your return for many years. I was really little when you were advisor to our king, but I remember you. I always heard great things about you. But then you disappeared. Where did you go?"

"It was time to go. But please, I'd rather not dwell on the past. I have come because Damian has kidnapped a young woman who he will make his bride. She is…" His voice faded away. He still wasn't comfortable admitting his feelings for her…if there truly were any. Such feelings seemed improbable. But why had he traveled all the way across Europe to save her? "I need to regenerate. I need food, water and a place to sleep for the night." The boy looked behind him to an old couple that Erik assumed was his parents. They nodded their heads, and the young man turned back to Erik, another bright grin on his face.

"You can stay with me and my parents for as long as you need."

"Thank you." Erik took his horse and followed the boy and his parents to their home. It was a small house. The roof was patched up and looked as if it would cave in at any moment. The inside was as cold as the outside, but it soon warmed when the young man lit the fireplace. There was an old wooden table next to the ashy fireplace, bearing a single candlestick set in pewter. Two rooms branched from the main room, each with their own cot. The boy led Erik to one of the rooms.

"You can sleep in here tonight. This is my room."

"But where will you sleep?"

"Don't worry about that. I can sleep just about anywhere. Just make yourself comfortable. I will be right back." He left, closing the door behind him. Erik looked around at the tiny room. It's better than nothing, he thought to himself.

A few minutes later, the boy returned with a tray bearing a bowl of hot soup, half a loaf of bread, and water. He set it down on a little table next to the cot. "If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask." He turned to leave, and then stopped when Erik asked him his name.

"Lucian," he replied cheerfully, before closing the door behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

Anna slowly opened her eyes to a dim lit room, feeling sharp pains in her wrists. Through blurred vision, she looked to her wrists and found that they were in shackles. She was chained to the headboard of a bed! She started flailing, fear consuming her every sense. Then she realized her feet were chained too. As her vision cleared she could see the iron shackles that bound her ankles. A burst of sound escaped her, propelled by fear and anger.

"Ahhh! Somebody help me!! Please! Can anyone hear me?!" She shouted for a few minutes before her voice began to weaken. Her throat closed up and tears spilled down her cheeks. She was reduced to an almost inaudible whisper. "Somebody...please..." Just then, the door to this dim room opened up, a pale light flooding in. A dark figure stood in the doorway. As he advanced toward the bed, she could just barely make out his face. "Oh god! No! Please! Don't do this! Let me go...let me go..." her voice trailed off as he got closer.

"Shhh. It's alright, my love." He stroked her cheek, wiping her tears away. His hands were ice cold. He sat down next to her on the bed and leaned over her. "There is no need for tears, my darling. There will soon be a bond between us that no one can break. We will be together forever." He smiled a sickly grin before kissing her hard on the mouth. She struggled to escape him, but there was nowhere to go.

"Ahem." Damian broke the kiss, looking to the doorway. There stood a woman. She was tall and lean, and from what Anna could see, very beautiful. She had jet black hair that reached all the way to her waist and she wore a flowing white gown. "Damian, Adrianna and I need to talk to you." There was a coldness in her voice as she shifted her coal black eyes toward Anna.

"Not right now, Sonia! I'm in the middle of something…if you haven't noticed."

"Now!" Her strong voice shook the entire room. Damian shook his head and sighed. He leaned down and kissed Anna on the forehead. "We'll continue this later, my love." He stood and stalked to the door, closing it behind him.

"What is it, Sonia?" he said in an irritated tone. Adrianna emerged from the shadows, her rich red hair resting around her shoulders and her pale pink gown brushing the ground.

"Why is _she_ here?" Adrianna answered, a trace of hurt and jealousy in her voice.

"Well, my dear, she is to be my new bride."

"New bride?! But _we_ are your brides! Do we mean nothing to you? Do we not satisfy you, my lord?" They both looked down, feeling ashamed.

"Oh, my darlings! Of course you satisfy me!" He wrapped his arms around both of them and kissed them both passionately on the lips and neck. "But I thirst for more. You will understand." He seemed to command them with the last statement. They nodded in compliance. "Now, will that be all?"

"Not quite, my lord," Sonia answered. "There is a stranger in the village. He arrived just today. But oddly, the villagers seem to have accepted him. That is not in their nature. Usually, they turn over strangers to us. Shall we go find him and kill him?"

"No…no. I think we should learn who our new visitor is." A wry smile appeared on his face, having a notion of who the new visitor was. "Yes, I think so. We will go tomorrow morning." He strolled down the hallway, laughing maniacally to himself, forgetting about Anna for the moment. His brides obediently followed him, both confused about why their master was so amused.

**AN: I know this chapter was kind of short, but the next one is MUCH longer. I promise!! )**


	8. Chapter 8

Anna was plagued with horrible nightmares all night long. Visions of all that had passed in the previous days haunted her dreams. Her first encounter with the vampire. The dead children. All of the blood. Her second encounter with the vampire. His conversation with the ones called Sonia and Adrianna out in the hallway. His words echoed through her mind. _We will be together forever…new bride_… She could feel his icy hands running over her neck and his harsh lips pressing down on hers. After every dream, she would awake in a cold sweat, and then she would cry herself back to sleep.

---------------------------

It was a cold, dark morning. The sun was hidden beneath a thick layer of dark, ominous clouds. Erik awoke early and gathered his things. He was almost out the door when a voice sounded from behind him.

"Leaving already?" Erik turned. It was Lucian. "Don't you wanna stay for breakfast?" Erik smiled and walked toward him. He knelt down to his height.

"I wish I could stay, but I can't. I can't wait any longer. I may even be too late." His voice was quiet on the last statement, afraid of it being true. Erik rose to leave.

"Wait! Can I go with you? I can fight those horrible vampires!" Lucian swung his fists and kicked his feet as if he were fighting one at that very moment. Erik chuckled and patted him on the head.

"I'm afraid you are too young, little Lucian. I wouldn't want you to get hurt.Tell your parents thank you for me." And with that, Erik walked outside, mounted his horse, and rode off.

After riding for about half an hour through the woods surrounding the little village, Erik finally came upon the castle. It loomed over him and reminded him so much of his dear friend King Valerious and even more of the wretched Damian.

Erik dismounted and tied his horse to a tree in the woods. He remembered the secret tunnels in the castle that King Valerious had shown to him. The King had completely trusted Erik with his secrets and Erik valued that trust. He never told a soul about those secret tunnels. Unless Damian had found the tunnels on his own, there was no way he could know where they were.

Sneaking around to the side of the castle, Erik found the hidden door that opened to one of the tunnels. He pulled it open and slipped inside, closing the door behind him. Darkness consumed the tunnels. Fortunately, Erik remembered the tunnels well. And with all of those years living under the Opera Populaire, he could see very well in little or no light.

The tunnels twisted in all different directions throughout the whole castle, but Erik never got lost. He searched every room on every floor, surprised that he had not run into Damian yet. Nevertheless, Erik had his sword drawn, ready to fight him if her were to appear.

When he reached the third story, he came to a room that was at the far end of one of the hallways. It was the last one he was to check on this floor. He opened the door quietly, as he did with all of the other rooms. There, asleep on the bed, lay Anna. He sheathed his sword and rushed over to her. When he was closer, he could see the chains on her wrists and ankles.

"Oh my god," he whispered under his breath as he saw the purple and greenish-yellow bruises that plagued her wrists and ankles. He stroked her cheek in attempt to gently awake her. She moaned and her face cringed. From her lips came words that were nearly inaudible to him. "…let me go…no…please…so much blood…" was all he could make out. He began to shake her slightly. "Anna. Anna." Her voice got louder, but her eyes remained closed.

"No! Let me go! I will not be your bride!" Her hands were tightened into fists and her arms and legs started to flail wildly. Erik shook her harder.

"Anna! Wake up! Wake up!!" Her eyes opened and her convulsions ceased. Tears threatened her eyes.

"Erik?" He put a finger to his lips, motioning her to be quiet. After inspecting the chains that bounded her to the bed, he nodded his head and whispered something under his breath. He then drew his sword and told Anna to move her head. Raising the sword above his head, he brought it down upon the chains with such force that they broke.

After breaking all of the chains, Erik sheathed his sword and helped Anna out of the bed. She yelped in pain as she tried to stand, the bruises on her ankles causing sharp pains to shoot up her legs. She fell back on the bed, gritting her teeth so as to hold back her whimpers.

Erik stood for a moment, contemplating what to do. He decided to carry her. He swept her into his arms, the shackles with the broken chains still attached to them dangling from her wrists and ankles making a jingling noise. He slipped into the hallway and into the nearest secret tunnel, wondering where Damian could be. Anna wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his warmth, neither of them saying a word while traveling through the tunnels to the door where Erik had entered.

When they were outside, Erik took her over to his horse and lifted her onto it. Then he got on behind her and guided the horse back toward the village.

---------------------------

Damian checked on Anna, seeing her struggling and muttering something under her breath in her sleep. He kissed her on the forehead, and then he and his brides left. It was early morning, and they were glad to see that the sun was shrouded with dark clouds. They flew to the village in search of the new visitor. It didn't take but a few minutes to get there, and when they did, they searched every home. Terrified, the villagers ran from their houses and through the village, trying to find a place to hide. It was chaos.

When the vampires had searched every house and found nothing, Damian reached into the crowd and grabbed a young boy.

"Where is he?! And who is hiding him?!" He shook the boy hard as if the answers he sought would fall out of the boy and onto the ground.

"Where's who?" he answered, frightened. Damian laughed to himself.

"What's your name, boy?"

"L-Lucian," he stammered.

"Ah, Lucian. Such a strong name. Tell me, Lucian, do you have a mommy and daddy?" Lucian didn't answer, but his eyes shifted to an area behind Damian. Damian looked in that direction to find a couple standing nearby with a petrified look on their faces that was directed at him and the boy. "Ah, that must be your parents." He motioned to his brides and they flew toward the parents, capturing them with a tight grip, and then bringing them to Damian. "You see, Lucian, if I cannot find the visitor that I know is here, I will have to kill your parents. You wouldn't want that, would you?" Lucian shook his head no, his eyes getting wider. "I didn't think so. But you can save them, Lucian. All you have to do is tell me where the visitor is. Can you do that for me?" Lucian hesitated for a moment, looking to his parents. They're eyes were telling him not to say anything, not to betray Erik. Lucian turned back to Damian and answered.

"The visitor was just passing through. He left early this morning in that direction." He pointed to the entrance of the village, opposite of the castle.

"You're lying!" Damian's grip tightened on the boy as he prepared to bite. His fangs grew and his head moved toward the boy's neck. Lucian suddenly punched him across the face and kicked him in the shin. Damian released him and groaned in pain. Then picking up two big rocks, Lucian hurled them at the two vampire brides, hitting them in the face. They screeched and released his parents as their hands went to their wounded faces. Lucian and his parents ran as fast as they could into the woods.

"After them!" Damian shouted to his brides. They did as they were commanded and flew to the woods. They searched in vain for the boy and his family, but to no avail. They had disappeared among the trees and could not be seen.

"We have lost them, Master." Damian shouted with anger as his brides informed him of the boy's escape.

"Damn you both! I'll do it myself!" Instead of flying over the woods to try and find them, he walked, with huge angry steps, toward the trees of the woods. Before he even reached the first tree, a thought struck him. Erik must have come this way_. Of course! Why didn't I think of it before_? He must have gone to the castle in search of Anna. Damn! He changed into his monstrous flying form and shouted to his brides for them to follow him as he flew back toward the castle.


	9. Chapter 9

Anna sat sidesaddle as her and Erik traveled back to the village. His arms were wrapped around her so that he could hold the reins, and her head rested gently, yet exhaustedly on his shoulder. As cold blasts of wind came sweeping over them, she would bury herself deeper against him in his warmth. After a while, she drifted into a slumber that was calmer than what he had witnessed earlier, but she still moaned and whispered things under her breath.

Suddenly, a sound came from in front of them. It was quiet at first and only Erik heard it. When the sound came again, this time louder, Anna heard it and her eyes flew open with fear. She began to struggle, trying to get away, but Erik held her tight. The sound was getting louder and closer, and Anna struggled even more against Erik's iron grip.

"No," she whispered. "It's him! Let me go!" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Shhh," he said to her gently, tightening his grip on her. "It's alright. It's alright." She stopped squirming and let him hold her. She felt a sense of safety around her. She knew that Erik would not let anything happen to her.

When Anna became silent, Erik could listen more intently. It sounded like someone was running toward them through the trees. The sound was loud now, and Anna had scrunched against Erik as much as she could with her eyes squeezed shut. Three people emerged from the thick, tall bushes that were in front of them: two adults and a little boy.

"Erik!" the little boy cried with relief. It was Lucian and his parents. Anna opened her eyes at the sound of his name.

"Lucian! What are you doing here?" He looked to the boy's parents and found a look of utter fear upon their faces. They were speechless, so Lucian did all of the talking.

"Erik, they came…to the village! The vampires…They came looking…for you!" He was gasping for breath after his long run from the village. "And they tried…to follow us…into the woods. But…we escaped. I don't know…where they are now. But we can't…go back to the village." He stopped and stooped over, trying to calm his breathing and his violent heartbeat. Erik dismounted from his horse and walked over to the boy, leaving Anna on the horse. "What shall we do?" the boy asked, finally gaining his proper stature and breathing pattern.

"We must find a place to hide here, for now" Erik answered. "Do you know of a place, little Lucian?" The little boy's face lit up.

"Me and my friends like to play in this cave that's not too far from here. We could hide there! No one knows where it is except me and my friends." Erik agreed and they headed toward the cave.

On the way, Anna remained on the horse, for she still couldn't walk, and Erik walked beside the horse, holding the reins in one hand. He held Lucian's hand with the other. Lucian's parents walked on the other side of their boy and they remained quiet the whole time. Erik raised his head to meet Anna's eyes and silently asked her if she was alright. She nodded her head and gave a slight smile in response, signaling to him that she was just fine.

A loud screeching echoed through the sky. They all looked up to see three monstrous vampires flying above the trees, heading in the direction of the castle. They all stopped and were silent as the vampires passed over. The vampires didn't see them and they continued toward the cave in silence.

When they reached their destination, Erik carried Anna into the cave and set her down next to a big rock she could lean against. He built a fire near her and the others so they could recover from the cold, bitter winds out of which they had just come. Anna quickly fell asleep against the rock, the exhaustion of the past couple of days finally overtaking her body. Erik bent down and stroked her cheek. A subtle smile appeared in response to the touch. Erik was happy to see her finally resting peacefully. He placed his cloak over her as a blanket to keep her warm.

"Lucian, I want you and your parents to watch over her until I get back. I'm going to see if I can find some food and maybe some water." He turned to leave, but was stopped by Lucian.

"I want to go with you," he said earnestly. "Can I please? I can help you. I know these woods better than you, I think." Lucian gave a sly smile that Erik recognized as one of his own.

"Well," he started, looking to the boy's parents. "If it's ok with your parents, you can come with me." Lucian looked to his parents for approval and they smiled and nodded their heads.

The mother walked over to Erik and, speaking for the first time, said, "I know you won't let anything happen to my boy." She smiled. Erik smiled in return and assured her that he would protect him with his life. Lucian, a big bright smile decorating his face, put his hand in Erik's and they left in search of food and water.

**AN: Wow, you guys are amazing! Thank you so much for your reviews! The next chapter is one I think you romantics out there will love. )**


	10. Chapter 10

Damian flew swiftly back to his castle, his brides not far behind him. He was seething the entire time, angry at Erik for coming and attempting to save Anna, but most of all, angry at himself for allowing it to happen.

When he reached his castle, he stormed down the hallway toward Anna's room. After he slammed open the door, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light and saw that she was indeed gone. Damian let out a deafening shout, like a daunting roar.

"Adrianna! Sonia!" They rushed to his side. "Search the castle at once! He may still be here. I will go into the woods and look for him there, just in case." His brides complied as he started to leave. When he opened the castle doors, his skin began to sizzle and he became temporarily blind. The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds. He quickly shut the doors and his vision returned. The burned skin on his face quickly regenerated. He yelled out in frustration, but was quieted when a solution came to mind.

He went to find his hooded cape and gloves and put them on, pulling the hood over his head. He found a scarf that he wrapped it around his face, leaving only his eyes and forehead exposed. As long as he kept these exposed areas out of direct sunlight, he would be safe. Holstering his sword, he went swiftly into the woods in search of his prey.

* * *

Erik looked to the sky when the sun came out and sighed with relief. He knew that vampires couldn't stand the sunlight. He and the boy would be safe…for now. 

After searching for an hour, they founed a small stream, but no food. They filled the leather pouch that Lucian's father had given him to use and, after drinking their fill from the stream, took it back to the cave. Lucian's parents drank their fill first and laid down to rest. Lucian joined his parents in their nap for he was exhausted from the events of the day. Erik took the pouch over to Anna. She was still sleeping, though it was slightly more restless than before.

"Anna," he whispered, stroking her face gently. Her eyes fluttered open and she met him with a warm smile. It quickly melted away, however, as she remembered the horrible events of the past days. She suddenly forgot where she was and started squirming. "Anna. Anna, it's alright. He's not here. You're safe now. Here, drink this." He lifted her head and held the pouch to her lips. She stopped squirming and drank the water greedily until her thirst was quenched.

"Thank you…for everything," she said quietly. After a moment of still silence, Anna spoke again. "Can I ask you something?" Erik nodded his head. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you put yourself through all of this just to save me? We had only just met. You don't even know me." She looked up at him with questionable eyes.

"I…I don't know. I suppose I couldn't stand the thought of him hurting you. I know what he's capable of and I didn't want you to go through that." He looked away, just slightly blushing.

"How do you know him?" He told her the whole story. He started from when he left Paris to when he met her. He did not want to mention Christine or his abhorrent past to her.

"So," he continued, wanting to point the discussion away from himself. "Why were you going to Paris?"

"To escape," she said bluntly as she eased herself into a sitting position.

"Escape what?"

"My life, if you could call it that." She looked to Erik and found a look on his face that told her to continue. So she did. "I came from a little town called Brighton near the shore of England. I lived with my mother, my father, and my brother, though it didn't seem that way. I was invisible to them. My parents never showed me compassion, love, or even the slightest recognition of my existence. I didn't have any friends, though I used to. When I was younger, I had a few friends that I would play with, but as we got older, they turned on me. They would gossip about me behind my back, and they treated me like dirt to my face. I started spending my days alone, away from everyone. I would read or write or just lie on the ground staring at the sky as I sang to myself. Music always comforted me, though I never took up an instrument. I never had the opportunities that other kids my age had. So I just sang to myself instead.

"One day," she continued, "my brother's friend, Luke Thomson took an interest in me. He asked my parents for my hand and they gladly gave it to him, against my will. They could not see him for the person he was, but they wouldn't have cared even if they had. He was a horrible, wretched man…" Her sentence trailed off as tears welled in her eyes at the thought of him. Thoughts of Damian soon followed and she couldn't hold back any longer. Tears started to stream down her cheeks, but she tried to continue. "I had to get away from him. From him and everyone else. I didn't want…I didn't want that to be my life anymore." She buried her face in her hands as more tears spilled from her eyes.

Erik enveloped her with his arms and let her cry. He understood all too well what she had gone through. He suddenly felt a stronger connection with her. Neglect. Betrayal. He had suffered through these too. Oh, how he had suffered! He held her and stroked her hair until she had calmed down.

When she had stopped crying, she lifted her head, finding herself only inches away from his face. She looked into his eyes and found them to be softer and kinder than they were the first day she looked into them on the train. She quickly looked down, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.

"I'm…I'm sorry for burdening you with my troubles. I don't know what has come over me. I don't normally talk so freely about my past." He placed his finger under her chin and lifted it up so that she met his eyes again. He gently stroked his thumb across her cheek, wiping her tears away. His head began to lower slowly toward hers. Anna's heart started to beat faster. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips slightly brushed hers in a light kiss. She felt herself kiss him back, though she had not told herself to do so. She seemed to had lost control over her own actions. And yet, she didn't seem to care. His lips pressed harder into a deeper kiss as he pulled her even closer to him. Her whole body had become weak with his touch and she allowed her body to press against his. She heard a quiet moan and wondered what it might be before she realized that the moan had escaped her own throat. He lifted his head, breaking the kiss.

"Did I hurt you?" He looked at her, worried.

"No," she responded before she placed her hand on the nape of his neck and pulled him back into the kiss. She was feeling a hunger rise within her that she had never felt before. She couldn't quite explain it. Erik was feeling the same thing, though he knew what it was and had felt it before. They were both so lost in each other that neither of them heard the footsteps approach. They were completely ignorant of the nearing figure until a chilling voice sounded from the entrance of the cave.

"Well, well. What have we here?"

**AN: Thank you all for the comments! I suppose I should warn you all...there is only one more chapter to this story. I hope the ending satisfies you, and if it doesn't you can all send me suggestions on how you would like it to end and I will write an alternate ending using my favorite suggestion.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Ok, sorry it has taken me so long to post the final chapter. I was debating on whether or not I should rewrite my original ending. You see, I wrote this story a very long time ago and this is how I ended it. I wondered if I should rewrite it and make it longer. But I ultimately decided to keep it the same. I'm not the sort of person who likes to string things out for too long. That's probably why this last chapter isn't terribly long. Short and sweet. Anyway, this is the original ending...the only ending...to _Chosen_.**

Erik and Anna both looked in the direction of the voice and found Damian standing in the entrance to the cave. He slowly began walking toward them, pulling the scarf down from his face. Anna's eyes widened in fear and she began to shake. When Damian was just a few feet in front of them, he stopped.

"Hello Anna, my dear," he hissed. Erik stood to his feet, drawing his sword, and blocked Anna from Damian.

"You will not lay one pale, bony finger on her, or I swear to god, I will make you regret the day you chose to become a vampire." Erik stood firm and raised his sword to Damian's face. Damian stood silent for a moment before bursting into a fit of chilling laughter.

"Enough of this nonsense, Erik!" He brushed away Erik's sword and attempted to advance. Erik drew back his sword and plunged it through Damian's chest. Looking down at his impaled chest, Damian chuckled to himself. He raised his head and stared at Erik with evil glowing eyes. "You can't kill me, Erik." His voice came out low and wicked. "I'm already dead." He pulled back his fist and propelled it across Erik's face, knocking him to the ground. He pulled the sword from his chest and threw it to the ground next to Erik. Anna gave out a shriek as Damian advanced toward her.

By this time, Lucian and his parents had awoken from their nap and were now staring in shock of what was happening. There was nothing they could do but watch helplessly. They had no power against a vampire. Lucian, however, attempted to draw Damian's attention away from Anna and Erik by throwing rocks at him, but the vampire ignored the pathetic attacks.

Damian wrapped his arms around Anna, holding her in an iron grip so that she couldn't move. He bent his head down toward her neck and his fangs grew as they had done before. This time, the fangs pierced her flesh. She screamed in pain as he hungrily drank her blood. Suddenly, he was pulled off of her and thrown across the cave by Erik. Anna passed out from the loss of blood, but she was not dead. He only took what was needed. In order for her to become a vampire, however, she must then drink his blood.

Erik stalked over to Damian, who was still on the ground, and kicked him repeatedly in the head and stomach. He picked him up and threw him out of the cave. As Damian rolled across the ground, he tried to keep his face hidden by the hood because the sun was still out. As Erik advanced toward him, Damian cowardly crawled for the shade. He knew what Erik was going to do. Erik grabbed him and slammed him against a tree.

"Please! Please don't kill me! I'll do anything! Anything!"

"Why the hell should I spare you? Everything you have ever done has been for evil and you don't deserve to live forever." Erik threw him back into the light, bent down next to him, and ripped away his cloak. Now exposed to the sunlight, Damian's skin began to melt. It sizzled and bubbled. Steam rose from his boiling skin.

"See you in hell!" Damian said in an almost inaudible voice. When his skin had melted away, his bones were exposed. They charred and quickly turned to dust that blew away in the breeze. His clothes remained in a messy charred pile on the ground. In the distance, Erik heard mournful shrieks coming from the castle. _The brides_, he thought. They sensed their master's death. They could do nothing now, for they were still confined to the castle by the sunlight.

Erik rushed back into the cave and cradled Anna in his arms. Streaks of blood that poured from the two holes in her neck ran down her shoulders and stained her clothes. He checked her pulse and found it very weak. Her eyes opened slightly as she came back to consciousness."It's over now," he said as he drew her close and rocked her back and forth. "It's all over."

**End **

**_Epilogue_**

_At last, Damian was dead, leaving Anna and Erik in peace. Anna recovered from her wounds and they lived briefly in Paris before moving to a secluded castle, which Erik ordered to be built for Anna, in the emerald hills of Scotland. They eventually got married and lived out the rest of their lives in peaceful happiness. As for Damian's brides, following the death of their master, they became plagued with a sadness that could not possibly be felt by the living. This pain drove them to madness and they burst out of the castle and found themselves facing the same fate their master had endured, for the sun was shining brightly._


End file.
